Kobe vs. LeBron.
Ever since the two were both in their prime, it was always a topic of debate between fans and even players. Who was the best in the league? There wasn’t anyone considered when it came to that question besides these two guys. For nearly a decade the most famous rivalry in basketball was Kobe vs. LeBron.
Fans couldn’t help but debate this age old question as they have been the two best in their respective eras. Kobe was the man for most of the 2000’s era while LeBron was the man for the 2010’s. So it’s only right these two are compared, I mean, why wouldn’t you compare the best between each other? If you’re a big NBA fan, chances are you’ve participated in Kobe vs LeBron debates at least once.
The age old debate is still in question even if Kobe is in retirement. Who brought it up? The GOAT himself, Michael Jordan.
A camper recently asked MJ to pick between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Kobe vs LeBron. Michael then answered with taking Kobe. “There’s something about 5 that beats 3.” Claimed Jordan. Of course when the GOAT comments on it, the debate sparks back up again. Social Media outlets again posted this age old question with everyone seemingly participating in the never ending debate.
Newsflash! The debate could go either way. In favor of Kobe, or in favor of LeBron.
Anyone can choose between the two with substantial claims to back up their reasoning, but the thing people should avoid, is acting like the debate is not even close. Some fans on social media claim the debate isn’t even close whether it favored the Mamba or the King. This is what we’re not gonna do. Both players offer something to the table that may cause a person to lean towards taking them, but none have serious flaws that make one think that the debate is far fetched.
It doesn’t matter who you pick between Kobe vs LeBron. What matters is that it’s actually closer than you may think.
Allow me to further elaborate exactly just why it’s closer than you think.
Let’s begin with the scoring aspect of the game. In terms of having the most ways to score from anywhere on the court, one can say that the edge goes to Kobe Bryant, because of his tremendous footwork and ability to take and make incredibly tough shots without breaking a sweat. However, that won’t mean we immediately give the edge to Kobe in the scoring department.
LeBron’s ability to get to the rim and finish with very efficient shooting numbers making him a proven scorer in the league. Kobe is the complete scorer and the better shooter while LeBron is the more efficient one. It can honestly go either way, depending on what the fan is looking for in this regard.
Video via NBA
Moving on to the playmaking aspect of basketball.
Judging by stats, one can quickly assume that LeBron is by far the better passer. He has stats that can support this claim but does that mean it really is that big of a gap? Let’s take a look at Kobe’s assists numbers from the time he started getting real playing time to his last dominant season which was from 1999 to 2013. Kobe averaged around 5.1 assists per game at that time. LeBron averaged 7 assists per game for his career.
That’s around 2 assists gap between the two. One has to also factor the system Kobe played in. He played under Phil Jackson for most of his career, so he played for the Triangle offense. This type of offense sort of limits the number of assists for an individual player, since it emphasizes all 5 players making a play from a position.
Not saying that Kobe is a better passer than LeBron, we just have to factor that Kobe’s “low” assists stats are not because of his inability to be a playmaker, rather the offense that he played in didn’t focus playmaking on one sole player.
Proving that the debate is not far fetched is the main goal here, not trying to determine who is actually better.
Video via NBA
Kobe vs. LeBron: Clutch factor
Oh, the clutch factor. Another example of why the Kobe vs LeBron debate is a close one. In hindsight, Kobe seems like the more clutch player. Kobe is never afraid to take the big shot and has made countless game winners. For most of his career, he was regarded by many as the game’s best closer. If the game was tight, many people wanted the ball in Kobe Bean Bryant’s hands.
However, we’re not gonna sit here and say that Kobe is FAR more clutch than LeBron because Bron has a case for himself as well. While LeBron doesn’t always take the big shot (sometimes criticized for it), one can always count on him to make the right play. Whether it is taking the shot itself, or finding the open man, LeBron will most likely always look to make the right play. That seems pretty clutch won’t you say?
Video via LamarMatic
However, we’re not gonna sit here and say that Kobe is FAR more clutch than LeBron because Bron has a case for himself as well.
While LeBron doesn’t always take the big shot (sometimes criticized for it), one can always count on him to make the right play. Whether it is taking the shot itself, or finding the open man, LeBron will most likely always look to make the right play. That seems pretty clutch won’t you say?
Video via MrJamBall
That seems pretty clutch won’t you say? The purpose of this is to prove that it’s not a far fetched debate as to who is more clutch. It depends on what someone determines as clutch. Kobe has that DGAF attitude that makes him clutch while LeBron has the mentality of making the right play. What’s more clutch to you, the one who is never afraid to shoot the ball, or the one who will focus on making the right play?
These are just SOME of the examples to support why the Kobe vs LeBron debate is tougher than it looks.
These guys are capable of doing it all on the court so it’s no surprise that it’s a toss up. We’re not trying to determine who is actually better than the other rather proving that the debate isn’t that easy to determine. Whoever you pick between Kobe or LeBron, the important thing to realize is that it’s an extremely tough question that has no wrong answer. Both bring lots of things to the table when it comes to the game.
Both Kobe and LeBron are once in a generation talents and both are great in their own right.
